Articles and Analysis

Alert reader AL noticed what appeared to be an error in our "Most Recent Polls" update on the latest Connecticut Senate poll from American Research Group (ARG) poll. We reported 3% voting for Republican Alan Schlesinger, but the ARG release indicates 3% for "other." Their question asked about five candidates: "Ralph Ferrucci, of the Green party, Timothy Knibbs, of the Concerned Citizens party, Ned Lamont, the Democrat, Joe Lieberman, of the Connecticut for Lieberman party, and Alan Schlesinger, the Republican."

Actually, both numbers are correct. We had already called ARG to check on the percentage voting for Schlesinger (since we plot no trend line for "other"), and they informed us that 3% supported Schlesinger. The other category also displays as 3% in their release, since the preference for the two other candidates is so small that the combined result for Schlesinger, Farrucci and Knibbs still rounds to just 3%.

And as long as we are on this subject, a note to all the other alert readers who have emailed: Yes, we know that Joe Lieberman is running under the "Connecticut for Lieberman party" and not as an "independent." Our use of "(i)" and independent labels was a programming compromise we adopted in putting this site together. Labeling third parties correctly is on our short list of features to update soon.

Also, we know that there are many other third party candidates not included in our charts. In most cases, this is because pollsters are not asking or reporting results separately for such candidates. We are hoping to expand our listing to include third party candidates where data is available.

One note about this race. Kos had a diary the other day listing the ballot order, implying it was a disadvantage to Lieberman to be so low on the ballot. However, many years ago I read a study indicating ballot order was more or less irrelevant in a general election. There appeared to be a benefit to appearing first on the ballot in a primary but no difference in November. Sorry, I don't have the link but I remember those were the findings.

Of course, ballot order was hardly irrelevant in Palm Beach County 2000...

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